The Recent York Islanders faced the St Louis Blues on Wayne Gretzky bobblehead night in Missouri on Tuesday night. To mark the occasion, Gretzky joined the NHL on TNT crew before the sport. While the conversation touched on his transient stint with the Blues, there was one player they might not avoid discussing. Wayne Gretzky says that Islanders rookie sensation Matthew Schaefer must be considered for the Hart Trophy as league MVP.
Gretzky joined the show to speak about Schenn being traded in addition to The Schaefer Effect on Long Island and if he must be in Hart discussion 🔥🌴 pic.twitter.com/W3tizPyobn
— NHLonTNT (@NHL_On_TNT) March 10, 2026
“I even have to say, [Cale] Makar and [Quinn] Hughes are so good. Those two guys are probably a notch above everyone else. And Hughes proved that on the Olympics, Makar played great on the Olympics. They’ve each been tremendous NHL players. …You may’t pick [Schaefer] above those guys straight away for the Norris. But I’m sitting here considering, ‘my goodness, would this team be where they’re without him?’ What about winning the MVP of the league? That is how good this kid has been. I’m not saying he will win it, I’m just saying that is the talk he must be in. Because I’m unsure that team can be where they’re without him.”
Schaefer is tied for the rookie lead with 20 goals and is closing in on the all-time record for goals by a rookie defenseman. Taken first overall within the NHL Draft back in June, Schaefer has taken the league by storm and is a near-lock to win the Calder Trophy because the Rookie of the 12 months.
The Islanders missed the playoffs last 12 months and weren’t a stylish pick to make the dance coming into this season. But they entered Tuesday within the third spot within the Metropolitan Division, largely due to Schaefer’s offensive and defensive presence. Schaefer is an incredible long shot to win the Hart Trophy, however the nine-time winner thinks he has a case.